Wingsuit flier Victor Kovats dies after cliff crash horror

By Paul Armstrong, CNN

Updated 0752 GMT (1452 HKT) October 12, 2013

Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death4 photos

Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death – Hungarian wingsuit flier Victor Kovats jumps into a valley in Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, China, on Tuesday, October 8. Kovats died after his parachute failed to deploy and he plummeted into the valley. His body was found October 9.

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Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death4 photos

Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death – Victor Kovats, left, poses for a picture on October 8 in Zhangjiajie, China. Kovats had been on a training flight preparing for the Second World Wingsuit Championships.

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Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death4 photos

Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death – Rescuers carry Kovats' body down a steep path in Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park on October 9. Kovats jumped at 2:51 p.m. local time, according to news agency Xinhua.

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Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death4 photos

Daredevil wingsuit flier plunges to death – Rescuers carry Kovats' body down the mountainside on October 9. Nearly 200 firefighters and police officers were involved in the search operation, according to Xinhua.

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Story highlights

Victor Kovats found with a smashed skull at the foot of a 100-meter (328-foot) cliff in China

It's thought his parachute failed to deploy after a wingsuit flight, though an investigation is underway

Kovats was to compete in the second World Wingsuit Championships

Wingsuit flying sees participants glide through the air wearing a specially constructed suit

The body of a Hungarian daredevil "wingsuit flier" has been found a day after he plunged into a remote valley in northwestern China during a practice flight ahead of the World Championships.

Rescuers discovered Victor Kovats with a smashed skull at the foot of a 100-meter (328-foot) cliff in Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie on Wednesday, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

An investigation is now underway, though rescuers believe Kovats crashed into the cliff when his parachute failed to deploy.

Wingsuit flying is an extremely hazardous sport where participants glide through the air wearing a specially constructed suit with fabric under the arms and legs to slow the rate of descent. Much like skydiving, the flight ends with the deployment of a parachute.

Kovats jumped at 2:51 p.m. local time, according to Xinhua. Witnesses then lost sight of Kovats after his parachute appeared to fail. Three other fliers successfully completed trial jumps at the time.

Nearly 200 firefighters and policemen were involved in the search operation, which was hampered by difficult terrain, according to Xinhua.

Kovats, a three-time Hungarian national champion, had completed 700 jumps. He was also an experienced skydiver and base jumper.

The organizers have not yet said if the event -- in its second year and scheduled to begin on October 11 -- will go ahead. The inaugural World Wingsuit Championships were held at Tianmen Mountain's 700-meter (2,300-foot) cliffs last year with 15 fliers from nine countries.